Amity in adversity heals

An air of unease hung over me as the nurse, after my abdominal surgery, wheeled me from the ICU to the general ward. Pessimistic thoughts clouded my mind until the patient lying in the next bed — a spry elderly woman — enquired about my well-being on an overwhelmingly chirpy note. A talk with her did — fleetingly, but significantly — lighten my mood as she mentioned her acute liver disease. No sooner had I finished my soup than the woman actively introduced me to two other patients, possibly to ease a new entrant into their hospitalised family. One was a teenaged girl with leukemia, while the other, an ex-serviceman, had got his knees replaced after an accident.

Barring the sporadic customary naps duly recommended by nurses, even a few minutes’ silence from me would spur all three of them to pull me into their lovely and lively conversations.

Acting as a blessing in disguise, their far bigger sufferings made me the least sufferer among them, injecting in me much-needed resilience to see through my ailment. The abundance of time at our disposal allowed us to buttress our camaraderie by digging out bygone memories, be it good or bad.

Over time, we forged an unexpected bond of love, sympathy and empathy, becoming a close-knit unit relishing one another’s company. The oldest among us was the aunt who was the most enlightened and liveliest member, helping us learn life lessons.

Running rosary beads through her veined fingers thrice a day, she believed that willpower sourced from the Almighty was far more effective in curing a disease than the doctor’s ‘pill power’ and would hardly miss exhorting us to keep praying for ourselves and humanity and shun negative thoughts. Obeying her instructions made us become an inextricable part of her profound spiritual exercise to eventually feel better and brighter.

Last to be admitted, but first to get discharged, my speedy recovery surprised all but me. I knew that the inspiring presence of my inmates had made a game-changing difference that stirred my soul. My farewell was a mix of happy and sad moments. Having seen my eyes welling up, my recuperating buddies strongly wished to see one another again in future at some ‘better’ place in the pink of our health. Their innocent smiles were a souvenir for me, their recuperated partner.